Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1887-01-14

The death If John Roach, the ship build I.
en- followed quickly on the first announce
ment Of his serious illness from cancer Of
the mouth. the disease making much more
rapid progress than in the case Of General
Grant He died at his home in New York
ON Monday morning. Mr. Roach came to
this country from Ireland - years ago, a
poor and friendless boy of 10. He earned
his first dollar in "A brirkyard, and Soun after
got place in an iron works, where he learn
ed the trade which laid the foundation for
his future success in life. Pluck, energy
and native ability told with him, and in due
time he came to he the owner Of the largest
iron works in the country, with marine
boilers and engines as his speciality. In
1867 he bought the Morgan iron works, and
i'll 1871 he established at Chester, Pa, what
is said to be the largest aud completest ship
yard in the world and the only one where
the whole process is conducted, from the
iron ore to the completed ship From his
two yards ~ iron ships have been launch
ed, representing a business of more than
$50, O0O. 900. 1t is said that 10 per cent of
the iron ships now sailing under the Ameri-
can flag were built by John Roach. He did
very little work for the government until
after the war, his first important contract
therefor being the building of the compound
engines for the Trenton for S635, 0O0-Sl5,-
600 less than any other bidder. When the
| four new turreted monitors were ordered in
! 1873 he received two of them To build at
the same terms they were given to other
builders. In 1876 two other monitors out
of five were given to him to build This is
about all the work he did for the govern
ment down to the time he contracted for the
Dolphin and the three cruisers which are "A
matter of recent history.
During Gen. Grants second term, when
trouble with Spain was threatened and ac-
tive war preparations were begun, Secre-
tarV RobesOn gave several orders for vessels
TO Mr.. Roach, and II cry Of favoritism was
raised, which resulted in the work being
stopped when the Haye, administration
came in. Mr.. Roach wa, always an un-
compromising Republican he believed his
own interests demanded that that party
should be kept in power, and he was cred
tied with having an excellent degree of
skill in carrying through Congress measures
to advance the interests of American ship
builders in general and nf John Roach 4
Sons in particular.
The result of it all was that the new Dem
ocratic administration came into power with
prejudice against Mr.. Roach, and Serre-
| a.. -.
Ter to justify himself before his party and
fulfil public expectation, he was called upon
to discredt Mr. Roach'S work and show that
the government was being cheated by tn,
alleged loose, irresponsible way in which it,
contracts were filled at the Roach wards
The Dolphin, the first of the new despatch
boats, was then just ready to make her tria
trip, and the Belkuap board Of examination
was appointed to test her and See whethe
she should be accepted She was condemn
, ed for structural weakness her accept
auce was refused, and the attorney genera
tract for the other three ships which Mr.
!, Roach was building for the government wa
not binding. In the end the Dolphin wa
! in point of fact accepted, and the govern
: ment undertook to complete the three re
{ manning vessels substantially as Mr. Roac
4 began them hut the blow was too much fo
a the Staunrh old mm of ~. His life wor
- had been dscredited before the country h
$ went into bankruptcy, and, though it prov
Il ed that his assets exceeded his liabilities b
= 81, 600, 900, lac never rallied and the refust
= to accept the Dolphin was the beginning ,
t the end with him
/ Secretary Whitney is entitled to the IA,
n sumption that his action in the matter wa
e intended for the protection of the interest
: of the government, hut it remains tru
that evidence brought out in the Senate il
vestigation last spring showed that fact
= about the performance Of the Dolphin u
IL her trial trip which showed her to be equt
Is to all the requirements of her contract. wei
81 suppressed, and let it be explained and ju
/ titled as it may, the history of Mr.. Viii
II ney's action in the matter will always r.
main blot on the record Of this Democrat
X administration.